Thoughts, links, inside information and program previews from the host of Chicagoland's premier local-access political talk show.

Monday, January 16, 2006

Eisendrath on “All Kids,” on TV/Web/Podcast

Jeff Berkowitz: …All Kids. That’s the name of the program. He [Gov. Blagojevich] has come up with a program that he says provides health insurance for all kids. You’re against that-you don’t think all kids should have health insurance?

Edwin Eisendrath: Well, you know that is an outrageously way to put that question.******************************************************** Our “Public Affairs,” show with Edwin Eisendrath, candidate for Governor in the Democratic Primary, will air through-out the City of Chicago tonight, Jan. 16 at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV].

The show with Eisendrath, who is taking on the incumbent office-holder, can also be watched as a video Podcast/Webcast at the Public Affairs Cinema [See here].

The "Public Affairs," show with Eisendrath [except for the last two minutes which were edited out, for technical reasons] can also be viewed by going directly to the Illinois Channel’s Campaign 2006 link and clicking on the photo of Eisendrath under the heading "Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates." [See here, whence it video streams].

This is the first [and perhaps only, to date] thirty minute televised interview with the former CPS teacher [five years], Chicago alderman and Clinton appointee as HUD Regional Administrator, and, I might add-- Harvard B.A. [although we won't hold that against him] in his now almost, one month old role as challenger to Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Although Blagojevich has a campaign war chest of at least 16 million dollars, the embattled Governor has job approval ratings that are characterized as anemic, at best and, as Eisendrath discusses, generally, in the interview, the incumbent Governor has lost the ability to run under the "reform," or "good government," banner. This is because Blagojevich is facing the stench of corruption all around him in the form of at least four federal corruption investigations of his Administration and activities related thereto.

A partial transcript of the show is included, below. For another partial transcript of the show, see here. And, See here for yet another partial transcript of the show.*********************************************************** Jeff Berkowitz: …All Kids. That’s the name of the program. He [Gov. Blagojevich] has come up with a program that he says provides health insurance for all kids. You’re against that-you don’t think all kids should have health insurance?

Edwin Eisendrath: Well, you know that is an outrageously way to put that question.

Jeff Berkowitz: An outrageously way?

Edwin Eisendrath: Of course. Sure it is.

Jeff Berkowitz: I’m fair and balanced. What are you talking about?

Edwin Eisendrath: Of course, kids should have health insurance and of course no child should be left behind. Right. But naming a program isn’t the same thing as getting the job done.

Jeff Berkowitz: So-

Edwin Eisendrath: So, let’s talk about how it’s funded. Because, I don’t think people know that the plan is to move 1.2 million people who currently are Medicaid recipients and to take them en masse and move them into a government run HMO-a government run program-and that’s supposed to squeeze another almost hundred million dollars out of the healthcare that the Medicaid recipients now receive.

Jeff Berkowitz: Because it will be managed care, that’ll save money?

Edwin Eisendrath: That’s the theory. But, remember, it’s a government run, no competition, managed care program that’s mandatory for everyone presently in Medicaid. Now, imagine that. First off, I don’t think all the Medicaid recipients in the state know that they’re about to be forcibly shifted to a program and then a hundred million dollars less is going to be spent on their healthcare. And, there is no expert, none-who believes those savings are real and really there and that’s the money that’s supposed to fund this program.

Jeff Berkowitz: Wait, I thought there was a report that was done-a bipartisan report, or a report that was done for a [bi-partisan] group within state government [the former Economic and Fiscal Commission]-that concluded the savings would be something like sixty to eighty million dollars. From managed care in Medicaid.

Edwin Eisendrath: There were reports done [indicating that is what you would get] when you had a competition amongst private parties to provide managed care. What we’ve done instead is to say we are going to have a state run program.

Jeff Berkowitz: Okay.

Edwin Eisendrath: Okay. And nobody believes those savings are there, and nobody believes they’ll be enough to fund the insurance long term.

Jeff Berkowitz: If there were competition and you did have managed care, you’re saying then it might be an effective way of getting savings?

Edwin Eisendrath: I think we do need to get savings in the system. But, there’s a difference between getting savings in the growing Medicaid part of the budget and then expanding [the budget] to provide this health insurance. We should provide health insurance. But, to rush it through in an election year, before you’ve thought about those details, is the kind of thing that makes people crazy and cynical. When you hold out something we all want and then don’t do the work to make it happen, it’s heart breaking.

Jeff Berkowitz: So, if that legislation had been presented to you and you had been Governor, would you have vetoed it?

Edwin Eisendrath: Well, first, let’s be clear. It wasn’t presented to this Governor; he’s claiming it was his legislation.

Jeff Berkowitz: Right.

Edwin Eisendrath: Okay. So, I would have made sure it was finished.

Jeff Berkowitz: You would have worked out the regulations? You would have-

Edwin Eisendrath: I would have taken the time and made it work.*******************************************************Edwin Eisendrath, running for Governor in the March 21, 2006 Democratic Primary in Illinois. The show was recorded on December 27, 2005 and it will air in the City of Chicago tonight, January 16, at 8:30 pm on Cable Ch. 21 [CANTV]; The show is also airing at the Public Affairs Cinema[the Public Affairs Cinema is also airing a five minute interview with Eisendrath, taped just before Thanksgiving [See here]. The Cinema also archives a dozen recent, other Public Affairs episodes, each of which is available to be watched hereThe "Public Affairs," show with Eisendrath [except for the last two minutes which were edited out] can also be viewed by going directly to the Illinois Channel’s Campaign 2006 link and clicking on the photo of Eisendrath under the heading "Democratic Gubernatorial Candidates." [See here]*************************************************************** Transcript drafts prepared by Amy Allen, who also does research for “Public Affairs,” and has her own political blog [See here]. ******************************************Jeff Berkowitz, Host and Producer of Public Affairs and an Executive Recruiter doing Legal Search, can be reached at JBCG@aol.com*****************************************************